`The Batchelor’ returns . . . on ESPN?

ESPN is holding a workshop this week for sports/media critics, something the network does every few years to give us an excuse to visit beautiful Bristol, Conn. (Actually, I find this to be a nice area, but city-slickers seem to be bored quickly. To be honest, we’re kept so busy here, it’s hard to be bored.)

As part of the workshop, ESPN has made a series of announcements, some more interesting than others:

— Jesse Palmer has been hired as a college football studio and game analyst. Palmer is known by some in the Capital Region as a former backup quarterback for the New York Giants. More know him as “The Bachelor,” the first professional athlete to appear ABC’s popular reality series.

— The network has initiated a “Chalk Talk” luncheon series in conjunction with “Monday Night Football.” ESPN will hold luncheons on 12 Mondays in the MNF city of that evening’s game. So where’s the news? Beats me. The event won’t be televised.

— ESPN and ESPN2 will televise all 32 matches of the Women’s World Cup of soccer Sept. 10-30 in China. All of the games will be live — at 5 or 8 a.m. EDT. The good news: No college football games will be killed in the airing of soccer.